The article has a better explanation later on: "She eschewed Tivo, and although she was an early and evangelical investor in Apple Inc., she never sent an emai

The article has a better explanation later on: "She eschewed Tivo, and although she was an early and evangelical investor in Apple Inc., she never sent an email in her life. She even managed to convince the rest of the already-wealthy Stokes clan to buy Apple stock, which paid off in spades. She funneled these funds into her recording project and the massive storage space she required as the sole force behind it." It comes down to savvy investments on her part and family money, not just "she spent her husband's money".